


Fools of the Deck

by ShippingsandDeamons



Category: Persona 5
Genre: Friends to Lovers, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, M/M, Oral Sex, Recovery, childhood friend Goro and Ren, touch-replused character
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-16
Updated: 2019-09-02
Packaged: 2020-09-02 08:48:47
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 6
Words: 9,050
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20273206
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShippingsandDeamons/pseuds/ShippingsandDeamons
Summary: In their youth, they had found each other. together, they created a bond that would endure trial and pain. A bond not even a god could hope to fray.





	1. Chapter 1

The sound was so quiet and muffled; he almost mistook it for a stray breeze. But, no, the closer he listened, ears straining, it was the sound of someone crying. Pulling his attention away from the clump of white wild flowers that had interested him seconds before, he followed the sound a littler deeper into the wooded park. He didn’t have to worry about getting lest; he was still able to see the park play ground by the time he found the source of the noise.

A boy about his age was sitting up against a tree; legs held tight to his chest, face pressed into his knees. Despite the slight cold, he didn’t have a coat on, showing off the scratches and bruises on his pale arms. He wondered if there were cuts and bruises on the boy’s legs, but the boy had on long pants so he couldn’t see. His brown hair helped to hide his already hidden face, but the quiet sound was unmistakably sobbing. He could see dirt caked onto the boys clasped hands and arms, and on his clothes.

Unsure of what to do (he wasn’t very good at comforting others), he just stood there awkwardly before building up the nerve to march on over to him. Dropping into a crouch in front of the other boy, he hesitantly extended a hand towards the other until the tips of his fingers bushed against his hair.

The crying boy’s hair was fluffy and half has curly as his own head of black hair, but it was greasy, as if he hadn’t taken a bath in a while. The moment he touched the other boy, he panicked; flinching and jerking away from the touch. He fell back onto his butt while the brown haired boy pressed himself further against the tree, a small whimper escaping him as he did so. He could see the boy’s face a little better; her eyes a ruby color from crying, a nasty red mark on his left cheek that was staring to bruise, and the light scratched on his jaw. Dirt was also smudged on his face.

The boy watched him, scared, as if he was something bad or dangerous. He was neither, and having someone look at him so scared like that made him uncomfortable. It made him wonder why the boy had been crying, and why he’d been trying to cry so quietly. Had one of the neighborhood boys bullied him?

“Sorry if I scared you,” He said, getting up and giving the boy the warmest smile he could. “I’m Ren.”

The boy was still weary of him, he could see it, but after saying his name, the boy no longer looked so scared.

“’m Goro.” Came a muffled reply.

He carefully walked up next to the boy and sat down. He felt the way Goro flinched as he brushed shoulders with the boy. He knew some kids were slow to warm up to others, but never out right flinching.

“Hey, is everything okay?” He asked. His parents told him he wasn’t a very subtle child, whatever that meant. 

Goro didn’t reply. It seemed like he wanted to say something, but couldn’t find the right words. Eventually he settled on something. “Yeah, I suppose.”

“Lier,” He said, pouting. “You wouldn’t be crying if you were fine.”

Goro hugged his legs a little tighter. Ren was unsure of what to say or do. It was obvious something was bothering the boy, but he didn’t have enough of this ‘tact’ thing to say something wouldn’t upset Goro further. Or maybe he did.

“Well, it’s alright to cry, it’s something that people just do.” He said, looking up at the tree’s branches over head.

He was the way Goro looked at him, as if what he’d said was strange. Was it really?

“Not everyone seems to think so.” The other boy said quietly.

“Well, they’re wrong.” He replied boldly.

Crying could be annoying, he’d been around a few crying kids that made him really want to shut them up (he didn’t, because that would be wrong), and when he’d been very little had annoyed his parents with his own crying. But there was nothing wrong with crying because you’re hurting; it how people feel better.

“Try telling that to the adults.” Goro muttered darkly.

“Hu?”

Goro brought a hand to his bruising cheek. “The man doesn’t like it when I cry, or make noise at all. He’ll yell and hit me if I ‘bother’ him, but sometimes he’ll do it even if I’ve been quiet. I’ll start crying ‘cause it hurts, and then he’ll start yelling louder and hitting harder.”

Ren’s hands balled into fists. Adults weren’t supposed to do that.

“Your dad shouldn’t do that, it’s wrong.”

“He’s not my dad, at least, not like that.” Goro said. “He’s my foster dad, and he’s not the first foster dad or mom to hit and yell at me.”

Ren didn’t know what that meant, other than that Goro’s dad wasn’t really his dad. That still didn’t mean he could go around hitting his own son. If the adults scolded his for hitting each other, then adults hitting kids wasn’t alright either. He lightly bumped Goro’s shoulder with his own, something that helped the other boys when they were up set. Goro gave him an appreciative smile.

The pair began talking about something other than Goro’s home situation. He learned the brown haired boy was actually a year older than him, and that he really liked both Featherman and Pancakes. Ren had watched some of the show, at it was alright in his opinion, nothing he’d actively watch on his own. But if he was watching it with Goro, maybe he’d like it more. 

He also learned that up until he was 5, Goro had lived with only his mother, but something had happened to her, and now he was in ‘the foster care system’. He hadn’t asked Goro for more details, the sadness in the other’s red eyes made it clear it was still painful for him, 3 years later. Goro didn’t actively talk about his current foster dad, or any of his previous foster parents, but the bruises and dirty clothes, as well as the few things he did say, made it sound like none of them were very good people.

“It’s getting late; I should go home before the man gets mad at me.” Goro said after a while.

It was getting late, and Ren would also have to go home soon, lest he earn his mom’s anger. But he didn’t want to leave Goro just yet, not after he’d finally gotten the other boy to give him a genuine smile. Shoving his hands into his pockets, Ren blinked when he felt the smooth surface of something he’d forgotten about; the pocket notebook he carried around with him. Pulling it out, he scribbled something onto the first empty page he found and tore it out and handed it to Goro.

“My house phone number, that way we’ll always stay in touch.” He said.

Goro started crying again, but the big happy smile on his face told him they were good tears.

“Thanks!”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning; this get's dark real fast.

His parents, along with most everyone else, tried to get him to stop spending time with Goro. His parents didn’t like Goro because ‘he is an orphan with a questionable past’. As if that mattered to him, Goro didn’t have anyone else. The other kids made fun of his friend, mostly verbal jeering, but some of the older kids would start hitting. The older boy never fought back; he’d just keep his head low and stare at his shoes the entire time. The reason was because if he got in trouble, his foster dad would tell his ‘social worker’ about it, and she’d get mad at him. He didn’t know much about Goro’s social worker, other than she was a lady and didn’t care about his pain. She had seen him bruised and bloody in the past, and pretended as if he wasn’t.

When the other kids started teasing Ren because he was friends with the other boy, Goro tried to distance himself. He quickly learned the younger boy was stubborn, and refused to sever ties with him despite the jeering it earned him. Apparently, even before his first mom died (he still didn’t know what happened, only that Goro blamed himself for it), he would be made fun of and was always alone. Ren was his first real friend.

A week after their first meeting, Goro was finally taken away from his foster father’s “care”. The day before, he’d been clutching the page with the house phone number on it to his chest as if it was the most precious thing he had. It might have been so. Goro had told him he owned very few things, and that they often got dirty and damaged because of his foster parents.

His new home wasn’t much better, apparently. From the few calls Goro was able to sneak by his news parents’, they didn’t hit him, often, but they would yell at him constantly and lock him in a closet if they didn’t like how he was acting. He was still being bullied by those around him, but this time he wasn’t black and blue all the time. And had an actual bed to sleep on.

Some families were better than others, but very few seemed decent. The the few that were, didn’t try and understand Goro or help him work through his problems. Ren wished that the adults would stop treating his friend like an object, or pet. The social worker lady was still as useless as ever; leaving him the longest in the more abusive and neglectful homes. 

When Ren was 10, he wanted to kill someone. 

The raven-haired boy ran the moment he put the phone down. He ignored his mother’s shouts about running in the house as he yanked his shoes on and raced out the door. Goro was back in town, and had asked him to meet him over in the park. It had been 3 long years since the last time Goro had been in town, and the entire of last year the two had been unable to talk over the phone. To call him a ball of energy as he zoomed down the street to the park was an understatement.

Jittery with excitement, he dove into the tree line in search of his friend. He easily found the older boy a little ways in; deep enough to give them privacy, but close enough to the actual park to find their way back without getting lost. Most of his excitement bled away when he found Goro. The older boy hadn’t noticed him yet, as he stared at the ground.

His cinnamon-brown hair was much longer than it had been years ago; long enough that it was down to the middle of his back. The locks of hair were limp and dull, a far cry from its normal fluffy waves that perfectly framed his face. His normally pale skin was as white as the fat clouds overhead, an unnatural, sickly color that made the dark and green bruises on his skin pop out. One dark garnet colored eye was hidden behind a hospital white eye patch, the other dull and glassy. His arms were wrapped in bandages, and his face had a few squared of them stuck to it. 

His clothes weren’t fraying at the threads of splotched with dirt, but they hung off his painfully thin body like sheets; his shirt alone was threatening to fall off his shoulders, exposing more bandages. What had happened to his friend.  
“Goro?” He called carefully.

Goro’s entire body tensed, he looked up. His friend looked genuinely surprised to see him, that alone made his heart lurch painfully. There was a shadow of shame on his features, as Goro looked away the moment their met eyes, thin, pale lips pressed into a tight grimace.

“Sorry,” The brunette whispered. “…For not calling until now.” His voice is quiet, almost none existent, and a bit rasp, as if his throat was raw.

“That’s fine, your previous foster dad was just really strict.” He replied, trying to be as cheerful as he could. “And mean.”

Goro didn’t say anything, but his face is still grim and dark with shame. It hurts to see his friend like this. Goro might have been meek and quiet before, but now it was as if he was trying to compress his existence into as small a space as possible.

He walks towards his friend with the intent to comforting him, but the moments he’s in the boy’s space, the brunette panicked. His eye goes wide with fear, an indescribable terror of someone expecting some horrible thing. His hands colored with Ren’s chest as he shoved him away with a quiet, sharp “Stay away!” His posture guarded and shivering for a moment before he returned to reality.

Goro’s thin body started shaking for a different reason as he grabbed his arms tightly, eye-glazing over with tears. A babble of soft “I’m sorry” poor from his lips as his body practically spasms. Ren felt his teeth dig into his bottom lip, anger at the man who did this to his friend flashing white-hot in his mind. The sigh of Goro panicking calms him down, reminding him that his friend needed him, now.

“Goro,” He says in a voice that is commanding yet gentle. It breaks Goro ou of his stupor, the other boy looking at him blankly.

“It’s fine, really it is, I’m not mad,” He assured his friend. There’s an unspoke ‘not at you’. “I’m sorry that I scared you, I should have asked first.”

Goro starts crying anew, this time without exhausting his breath apologizing. When Goro finally calmed down, eye patch soaked with tears, he finally explained what had happened to him. 

Ren was 10 when he learned what ‘rape’ was.

For an entire year, Goro’s foster father at the time was aloud to do whatever he’d pleased to the boy. Beyond abusing and starving him, he forced himself upon the boy, as he’d been the only other resident of the house. Ren really wanted to kill the man, or push him off a bridge. It wasn't just Ren, Goro recoiled when anyone tried to touch him. The years of stacked abuse taking their toll on his mind, wearing him thin. 

It would be another 3 days before Ren alone as able to touch his friend again. It was a long 72 hours reassuring the other boy, and readjusting him to his presence. Nothing could tarnish the joy and pride he felt when Goro finally stopped flinching as he gently held the abused boy’s hand in his own.

Goro’s new foster family hadn’t been as patient. They got sick of him shying away after day 2. The dad would grab him by the arm in a tight grip, even when Goro was crying and pleading for him to let go, he’d growl something at the boy, exasperated at his extream reaction. They knew of his past abuse, of what his previous ‘guardian’ had done to him, but they didn’t act like it.

Maybe they just couldn’t understand. No, not couldn’t. They refused to even try and understand the suffering Goro had been forced to endure, the loneliness and anguish. He was the only one willing to even try and help. Wasn’t it ironic? A 10-year-old child had more patents than the adults around him. It was horrible, so Ren refused to be away from Goro’s side whenever possible.

Together, they came up with a plan to get Goro away from the foster system entierly, and away from the abuse. Despite everything he’d endured, Goro had perfect grades. They were impressive enough that Ren was certain if they tried, Goro could earn a scholarship to a high school with a dorm. Even after the brunette moved away, shipped off to a different home, they stayed in touch. Ren saved up his allowance with the intention of buying a phone for his friend, so he never had to rely on payphones and home phones. So they could always be in touch.

When he was 13, Ren’s parents bought him his own phone, a little after he’d gotten Goro’s. It was a peace offering to bridge the rift that had formed between parents and child due to their disagreements over his decision to be Goro’s friend. The smile in Goro’s voice when he called him with the phone made him feel a bit like a hero.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Didn't intend to write smut, but my thoughts went from 0 to 100, reeaal fast.

A part of him, at least, should feel bad for this, but he didn’t care. It was spring break, the pause between the old school year and the new one; the end of the old and the start of the new. Goro was seated on his bed, head turned to look out the window aimlessly. The midmorning sun cast a warm glow down on him, giving his cinnamon-colored hair an almost honeyed-caramel look. He was beautiful; his cheeks having regained their slight rosey hue, eyes glittering like polished garnets and so full of life, his body was still thin- but no longer gainfully gaunt and starved.

Goro would be starting high school soon- and thanks to his good grades, and would be attending a prestigious high school with a dormitory. Goro had cried when the letter saying he’d earned the scholarship arrived. Now, he was spending a few days in the Amamiya household before he was to be shipped off to Tokyo. The hard work had paid off; no more neglectful foster families. Ren was genuinely happy for his friend, happy that he could finally move forward in his life without hands dragging him down. Even if he did feel a little sad that the two wouldn’t be able to spend much time together, but that had been a constant in their relationship for years. 

“Hey, Ren,” Goro’s voice cut softly through the silence. He turned his head to face him, his legs falling into a crossed position, hands dropping into his lap. There was a pensive expression on his face. “What do you think of me?”

Ren blinked. It was a strange question, coming from his friend, straight out of left field. There were so many words that came to mind; enchanting, strong, eloquent, the list ran on and on. He could admit to himself that, yes, he’d fallen in love with his best friend. Not that he’d ever tell the other. Years of loss and abuse as shaped and eroded the other into a mess of untouched trama and touch-starved fear. He didn’t want to hurt the other boy, not if he could help it.

“You are the most important person to me,” He replied. It was the truth, and didn’t necessarily have any double meaning to it.

Goro smiled. “Really? I’m, glad.” The boy murmured.

Goro unfolded his legs, slender limbs sliding over the sheets until his feet touched the floor. Rising gracefully, like a bird in flight, the brunette padded silently towards him, socked feet silent against that hardwood flooring of his room. He paused right in front of the younger boy.

“You’re important to me as well,” Goro breathed. “The one person who’s genuinely cared about me, who’s comforted and supported me. The only one who took time to be gentle with me after, well, you know.”

Slender, delicate fingers came to grip the sides of his sleeves shyly, lovingly. 

“That’s why, if there is anyone I want to entrust this broken heart of mine to, it’s you.”

The older boy’s breath ghosted warm across his cheek. Bitten, wounded lips pressed themselves against his own Meekly, softly. The kiss lasted only a second, and was just a chaste pressing of lips together, but it was warm, and perfect in its own way. Before Goro could pull away, turn his back to him, and make some spiel about being alright with severing ties after this, the raven-haired boy’s hand found the base of his beloved’s head. He instigated the next kiss, just as chaste as the last one, but not as shy as Goro had been.

Goro’s head dropped to his shoulder, body tensing and untensing as if it couldn’t decide what to do.

“Thank you,” His friend, now lover(?) murmured. “Thank you for resigning yourself to loving broken, used goods like me.”

“Goro, you are more than your trama. You aren’t just used good, you’re a strong person who had had to endure so much, too much.” He gently grasps one of Goro’s wrists with his free hand as he speaks, and bring it to his lips. “Even your scars, your proof of living, are enchanting.” He presses his lips against a cluster of scars.

He could feel the way Goro’s body shudders, pressed up against his. The arm not in his grasp fold’s itself across his neck. A few steps and Goro is falling back onto the bed, dragging Ren on top of him. Chaste, soft kisses become harder, needer, open-mouthed ones. There isn’t a battle for dominance, but a need to be close, as evident bu the way Goro’s tongue and body writhe against his own; pressing him as close as could be.

His lover makes small, breathy noise of pleasure, and even manages to pull a few pleased groans from him as well. Then, Ren feels himself being flipped. He’s slightly dazed as his back is pressed into the sheets, Goro looming above him. There’s a bit of confliction in his wine gaze, but reaches a shy hand to the zipper of his jeans none the less. A bit of maneuvering, and deft fingers pull his length free.

Goro stares at it apprehensively, mouth a thin grimace, for a moment. Ren is too dazed to stop his partner, unable to do more than just watch as the brunette bends down. His cock is enveloped in the warm, slick feel of his partner’s mouth, a low, pleasured moan escaping his lips. Goro takes his time, Ren’s cock sliding over his tongue in slow, languid back and forth motions as the brunette bob’s his head. Soft fingers glide down the unswallowed length of his shaft.

Fire coils tightly in his gut as he watched his lover suck him off. Goro’s moments as slow, thought out, he never taken Ren entierly into his velvety mouth. For a while, the raven-haired boy basks in the bliss, watching everything unfold through hooded eyes. Then he thinks about where the other could have acquired such, ‘skill’. Icy guilt prickles at his conscience as he recalls the events of years prior, and the trama Goro had endured for an entire year that had lead him to become touch-repulsed.

Carefully, he caught the other by his jaw. Goro watched in mute confusion as he slid out of his mouth.

“Don’t force yourself to do things outside your comfort zone.” He murmured.

Realization dawns in Goro’s eyes and he sits up, back straight, head slightly bowed.

“…Don’t feel guilty, I chose to do that.” The brunette replied. “I… that wasn’t something I picked up from ‘him’. All he did was shove his prick down my throat violently. I just did to you what I thought would feel good.”

“Still, I love you, don’t force yourself to do things you aren’t ready for yet.” He countered softly.

Goro’s fingers clench around the sheets, knuckles going white from the power behind it. “Thank you for being so considerate of my pain, but I want to move on. I don’t want to just have violent trama running through my head every time I think about being intimate with you.”

Ren smiled. It was understandable, wanting to paint over painful memories with new, better ones. But, it was never that easy. No one could just throw away a decade of physical, emotional, and sexual abuse like that. Part of this instance likely stemmed from Goro’s fear of abandonment; that unless he was perfect, no one would want him.

He pressed a soft, loving kiss to his boyfriend’s forehead. “I won’t leave you just because it’s hard for you to have sex with me,” He said warmly. “But, let’s do something that will be easier on you.”

Their positions are reversed once again as Ren lay’s Goro back against the mattress. He nuzzles the heel of one of the brunette’s palms softly before easing his sweatpants off his hips. Hicking up his sweater, he can feel Goro squirm beneath him. He sees the scars the mark his partner’s pale chest and stomach, and lean down to press open-mouthed kisses to some of them. Late, he resolved, he would hunt down every last scar on Goro’s body and kiss it, but now wasn’t the time for that.

Crouching between the older boy’s spread legs, he shoots the other a mischievous grin before taking the other’s cock and swallowing it whole. Unlike his partner, he has no trauma associated with something being shoved down his throat, and so find pleasure in the way the head of his cock rubs against the back of his throat. He takes pride in the way Goro’s thrashing beneath him, small babels of pleasured moans and whimpers cascading from his lips. 

He goes as slow as Goro had, taking time to drag his tongue across the underside of his lover’s stiffening shaft. At this pace, he doesn’t have to worry much about his gag reflex of accidentally choking. He squeezed one of Goro’s thighs as the brunette is left panting and writhing under his touch.

Goro comes with a sharp cry, cum splattering against the younger boy’s face. His face burns, but Ren’s content smirk only makes him blush darker. Half a box of tissue later, and the two are curled up on Ren’s bed, Goro resting content against his chest.

“See, no need to charge in on things. I was willing to wait back then until I could touch you again, and this is no different.” The raven-haired boy reassured.

“Thank you… I love you.”


	4. Chapter 4

His stiff legs finally seemed to relax as he exited the train and stepped onto the platform. The commute to Tokyo had only taken a few hours, but being forced to not move around much in a cramped train car could really wear away at a person’s stamina. Still, the commute was worth it. He wanted to see how his friend was adjusting to high school life, now that he was living in a dormitory.

“Ren!”

Speak of the devil. Ren looked up from his phone to spy Goro trotting towards him. The brunet looked livelier than he had in a while, whether that was because he was no longer living in an oppressive foster system, or that he was finally seeing his boyfriend again in the flesh had yet to be determined. The brunette flashed him one of those angelic smiles of his, conveying how truly happy he was to see him again.

“I hope the train ride over wasn’t too bad, I know it can be draining.” Goro said. 

Ren shook his head.”I’m fine, it’s better now that I can stretch my legs.”

“That’s good.” Goro paused. “Almost everyone went home for the break, so we’ll have my room all to ourselves until you go home.”

Ren didn’t bother to hide the Cheshire smile that parted his lips. It would be nice to be alone with the older boy for a while. Goro gave him a flat look, Ren smiled politely in response.

“So, how did it feel being a detective?”

“…Ren, I told you before, all I did was point out a detail to the police, they would have figured it out on their own.”

“Maybe, after another two weeks. Regardless, you did yelp. And isn’t solving the puzzle of a crime a detective’s job?”

“I wasn't that big a help, ‘sides, it likely won’t happen again.”

Ren frowned as he and Goro slipped past a few people loitering on the sidewalk. A few days after the first day of classes, Goro told him about how he’d helped the police solve a robbery case by pointing out a crucial detail that had been overlooked. The brunette had downplayed his help, but after looking into it himself, the raven-haired boy knew better. Goro had spotted an obvious mistake the robbers failed to overlook, because the police had failed to notice it on three separate occasions.

He didn’t dislike the police, but it was partly their fault that Goro had ended up suffering for so long. The signs of abuse were obvious, even a child could have seen it, but no cop who had looked had him had even spared Goro a second thought about where his bruises were coming from. Even the brunette’s rapist hadn’t been so much as arrested for what he’d done. Adults were cruel.

When they arrived at the dormitory, it was almost curfew, when the doors would lock and only the security guard could open the front door. Hurrying on inside, both boys breathed a sigh of relief at having made it inside on time. It really wasn’t a good idea to arrive late and potentially get on the security guard's bad side (the man was notorious for slacking off, and getting crabby at people for making him do ‘extra work').

No longer out in the public eye, Ren grabbed Goro’s hand as the pair shuffled up to his room, he could feel the other squeeze back. He tossed his bag onto one of the beds as Goro hunted down something to eat for the communal kitchen, leaving him alone. It was fairly easy to tell which side was Goro’s. Growing up in the foster system, and bouncing from house to house, the brunette didn’t have many possessions beyond clothes as a few essential toiletries. 

A stuffed featherman toy he’d acquired at an arcade, partly hidden by pillows. A small unassuming black box tucked against the corner of his desk, 5 or 6 decorative hairpins inside, mementos of his dead birth mother. On a shelf sat a small collection of various detective novels, all acquired over the years. A plaid printed hat draped over a post of his bed, it looked similar to the one the famous detective Naoto Shirogane wore in her youth.

These were his few worldly possessions. The slip of paper he’d given the other might also be there, but if it was, it was tucked away out of sight. That was something he’d need to do before he left; replace that torn scrape of paper with something a bit more durable. The number was already programmed into Goro’s phone, and since he was still using the one he’d gifted the brunette a few years ago, it was unlikely he’d lose it.

If he hadn’t already memorized the number.

Pushing his glasses back up the bridge of his nose, the dorm door opened and Goro, with dinner, shuffled in. The meal was nothing grand; some white rice, mixed vegetables, and some broiled fish. Likely something Goro quickly cooked up after seeing what was left. But, it was good. Dirty bowls and utensils were left on the tray, they’d be taken down in the morning

The evening passed in a slow haze; the boy chatting about school, the newest episodes of Featherman, life in general. Goro was curled up against Ren’s chest, his head tucked under the other’s chin. The ebony-haired boy was the only one he felt safest with, the only one who’s gentle touches and soft words could comfort. His dreams were all still nightmares, but after everything he’d endured, who wouldn’t have a few nightmares, at least.

“Tokyo might seem big at first, but after you’ve spent a few days wandering around, it isn’t so intimidating.” Goro mused, a small mewle of a yawn stretching his jaw.

“A lot of places are like that; big and foreign, until you’ve spent some time there, then the mystery and glamour wash away.” Ren replied.

“Pretty much, it’s how I got so good at hiding, places just started looking the same after a while.”

“It’s getting late, might as well call it a night.”

“Yeah, no point in staying up late when he can just wake up early.”


	5. Chapter 5

The black and red icon was back, the two foreboding colors forming an eye shape that stared blankly up at him. Goro had deleted it yesterday, right before Ren had arrived in Tokyo. Why was it once more on his phone? Nibbling his lip, the brunette tapped the icon, and just like yesterday, nothing happened. With a small sigh, he uninstalled the strange app from his phone a second time. He wasn’t sure how the app had gotten there in the first place- he hadn’t installed it, or why it was on his phone again. There wasn’t any point in worrying about it further, he and Ren had plans to wander Tokyo today, and some mysterious application wasn’t going to ruin that.

Thankfully, it wasn’t too hot out, despite the bright midday sun blazing overhead. May in Tokyo wasn’t usually this mild, but neither boy was about to start counting and questioning blessings just yet. It meant that Goro, with his habit of wearing gloves all the time to hide his scarred hands, didn’t garner as much attention as he could have.

“So, what sounds good for lunch?” Ren asked.

“It depends, I know a few good fast food joints if that’s what we want to go with, but I also know some good local diners.” Goro replied. “It boils down to what kind of food we want.”

“Eh, I’m not craving anything in particular.”

“Hmm, well, there is a special at a local diner I’ve been wanting to try, but only if that’s okay with you.”

“Sounds fine to me,” Ren replied, nuzzling his boyfriend’s cheek.

It was a small display of affection that passersbys' could easily write off as them being close friends. But after nearly a decade of being beaten and touch-starved, any affection tended to make Goro’s cheeks turn a pale cherry red. And now was no exception. Flustered and dazed, Goro hastily grabbed Ren’s wrist and hurried off in a random direction.

A part of him was baffled, and maybe always would be, that someone like Ren could actually love a broken thing like him. Ren called him lovely, but hiding just underneath his clothes were scars, some small and unassuming, other large and pale, they didn’t exactly match what people normally saw as beautiful. He was touch-starved and clingy, and the years of abuse making his mind a disaster and anxiety, depression, and other such mental ailments that would likely require years of therapy to even understand, let alone come to terms with.

Despite all of that, the fact he was a broken person, clingy, and ‘used goods’, Ren still loved him. 

“Calculating best route to destination,” A mechanical feminine voice said.

Both boys shared a [uzzled look as they pulled out their phones. Goro nearly dropped his. Some strange app was open to what looked like a search engine of some kind, a word was already typed in; ‘MAMENTOS’. He didn’t recall downloading anything like this. Then he remembered the strange app with the black and red eye icon. He’d deleted it early, twice, how’d it get back onto his phone?

He didn’t have time to question it as reality melted away around them. 

One moment they're in a plaza near the heart of Tokyo with people passing them by on all sides, the next, they’re alone in a dimly lit train platform, alone, the world around them colored in pitch black and bloody wine red.

“You have arrived.” Goro’s phone informed them in that monotonous woman’s voice.

Wherever ‘here’ was. The word ‘mamentos’ and been entered into the app, was that the name of this place? Panic started to set in, fear making the brunette draw his arms tight around him.

The crimson lighting made the platform darker, long shadows ebbing and flowing across empty tacks. Both left and right extend on as far as the eye could see, no exit in sight. Where they trapped here? This was unlike any place in Tokyo, unlike any place on earth. Were they even still on earth? For all it could be, they were in some parallel space with monsters out for flesh and blood. No one knew they were there, none of the people walking by had stirred up a commotion. This place could very well be their grave; they could die here and no one would know. Hell, besides Ren’s parents, would anyone even care? He was just an orphan, abandoned and alone in the world, no one could-

Ren slung an arm around his hip, carefully guiding him left.

“It’s fine,” The raven-haired boy murmured into his ear. “All we need to do is find a way out, shouldn’t be too hard. If it’s like a normal train station, we just need to go up.”

“R-right,” He replied softly.

The platform had branched off into a weird series of tunnels, crimson lit and twisted. Like something out of a horror movie. Goro shook his head to banish the thought. He didn’t need to add to his anxiety, didn’t want to burden Ren any further than he already was. Their hands were clasped tight together; even if one person let go, their hand wouldn’t easily slip from the other’s grip. How long had they been in this strange dark world? Their phones, beyond the strange app on Goro’s, didn’t work. They could turn on, but no date or time was displayed. The camera wouldn’t open, their phones would dial.

Both phones had effectively been reduced to pocket-sized paperweights. Cut off from the rest of the world, they would have no help in escaping this strange world. Ren was in front, guiding them both through the winding tunnels, Goro following quietly behind.  
Thunk.

Goro paused mid-step, almost getting dragged forward by Ren.

“Did you hear that?” He murmured.

ThudAnother sound, closer than the last. Something was here in the tunnel, right behind them.

“Did another person get in here?” Ren asked, hopeful.

The noises were almost like footsteps, but they were semi-loud. Either it was a person close behind them, or… The answer came in the form of a large black creature, easily twice the size of a normal adult man. It had no head or face; just a bulbous, gourde shaped body, the top lines with several dark cobalt masks. At first, it seemed like the thing hadn’t noticed them, until the mouthless monster let out a rattling howl and charged at them.

Goro was paralyzed in place, until he was dragged forward by Ren, the other breaking out into a sprint. If only escape was that simple. The creature’s legs were longer than their adolescent limbs, so it was only a matter of time before the distance between them was bridged. 

The tunnle continued to go straight for several meters, until they came to a crossroad. Turning to go left, it was a dead-end, forcing them to go right. Even with the adrenaline rush of running for one's life, neither had the best stamina for running. Their lungs burned as they pressed on, sprinting down uneven ground in a desperate attempt to escape their pursuer.

Something zipped by them, causing ren to misplace his footing and stumble to the ground, fulling Goro down with him. At one point, while chasing them, the shadow monster had morphed into a greenish slime with smoldering amber eyes and a gaping mouth.

As it drew closer, Goro felt tears burn his eyes. He didn’t want to die, not like this, not dragging Ren down with him. Desperation fueled his next step. Ren grabbed a rock and hurled it at the slime. Before he could drag them both to their feet, the gelatinous mass of algae green jumped up, pouncing at them. The slime’s mass scattered dust and loose pebbles across the floor as Ren was slammed up against a wall, Goro was still free.

“Goro, Run!” Ren choaked out, the slime having a good grip on his throat. “Get away now, while you still can!”

He didn’t want to, but what could he do against a monster?

“Are you really going to run?” A voice in his head asked. “Are you going to leave the one person who loves you?”

An image of his mother, hanging limp from the ceiling, a necklace of braided rope cradling her head, flashed in his mind. Was he willing to abandon Ren to a similar fate?

“What will you do, child? Will you fight, or flee?”

“I- I want to protect him!”

A searing, burning pain invaded his head. He was unable to do more than squirm about and whimper as the unbearable pain consumed him.

“Good, you are stronger than you give yourself credit. I am thou, thou art I, together, let us tear this wretched system down.”

Goro’s fingers found the smooth edge of a mask. Instinctually, he pulled. The pain of skin tearing from muscle was a slight bump compared to the previous mental agony. Smoldering golden eyes zeroed in on the slime, as a fragile voice whispered “Robin Hood” as a war cry.

Hydrogen blue flames engulfed him, burning away his casual clothes, leaving a black cloak over a pearly white tunic and black pants. A pair of grey belts were clung across his hips. Emerging from the blue fire was a figure dressed in soft greens as wintery whites; a pine green long coat over a lighter, grassier green vest, a crisp white dress shirt under that. Dark green dress slackers were tucked into boots so dark a green, they almost seemed black. A white bow was held delicately in a white-gloved grip. 

Goro Glowered at the slime, eyes once more their normal dark wine color. Above him, the green-clad figure drew back it’s bow, a shimmering arrow of light nocked back, ready to fly. The slime screamed at the arrow pierced its hide, letting fo of ren as it drew back.

“You aren’t escaping with just that,” Goro growled. “I’ll make you pay for attacking us.”

Several more arrows flew, each one sinking into its body. The slime charged at the green archer, slamming into it hard, but the figure held strong. Gloved hands gripped fistfuls of the slime's body, followed by a flash of light and the slime dispersing into ash.  
The archer nodded at Goro, then vanished, soon after, the brunette collapsed to his knees. Ren broke out of his daze and ran over to the other boy’s side. Goro’s white gloves were soft, almost silken against his skin. A mask now obscured the top half of the older boy’s face; five points on top forming a crest while a final point stretched out over his nose, almost like a small beak.

“Hey, you alight?”

“Ngg… Tired, very tired.”

A loud howl cut through the tunnel. In front of them, the figure of a black dog with ruby eyes approached, it’s snarling lips showcasing the row of sharp teeth. Goro pulled away and rose to his feet, the ran towards the approaching dog. He raised a hand to his maks.

“Persona!” He hissed, crushing the red- almost black material.

The mask made a sound like glass break as blue fire emerged from it. The archer from before appeared above them.

“Robin Hood, take it down!” Goro commanded.

The archer complied, charging at the dog with an arrow at the string. Unlike the slime, the dog was nimble, it evaded the arrow. Teeth sank into the archer’s- Robing Hood- left forearm. Goro was still tired from the last fight, and Robin Hood reflect that. This fight would be over soon, and the dog upon them, if this continues as it was.

Ren could only watch helplessly as Robin hood was slammed into the ground, the force also nocking Goro onto his back.

“Are you just going to sit back and watch as you beloved fights for both your lives, and in such a weakened state?” A coy voice asked.

The dog drew back as fire burned at Robin Hood. It didn’t do any visible damage, but the archer collapsed onto the ground, clearly wounded by the attack. Goro was trying to heave himself back onto his feet, but was unable. The dog slammed him into a wall.

“What will your choice be; run and save yourself, or fight and save your beloved?”

Did the voice even have to ask?

“I’ll protect what’s mine!”

Ren nearly collapsed, hand scrambing to his head had pain flooded into him. He recalled the way Goro had writhed about in agony before saving him. Was this the same?

“I am thou, thou art I, together, let us burn away at the wickedness of society, and create a world for our dearest treasure.”

His fingers found the edge of a mask, and he pulled. The pain of skin tearing was nothing compared to what he’d endured earlier. The flames didn’t burn as they licked at his body, casual clothes replaced by a long black trench coat. He felt the rest of his clothes replaced en-suit.

“Arsen.”

His persona wasn’t noble and angelic-looking like Robin Hood. Arsen was present in red and black, with a pair of dark wings spreading out from behind him. His face was like flickering tongues of fire in the shape of a ripped mouth and sharp eyes. Fire burst from the air, the dog howling in pain upon contact.

He walked forward, Helping Goro up onto his feet as Arsen aided Robin Hood. With a snap of red gloved fingers, fire consumed the black dog, and when it dispersed, the beast turned to ash just like the slime.

“Looks like I made it just, ugg,” 

Ren felt his body grow heavy. He would have collapsed if Goro hadn’t held him steady. Goro had fought like this? No one the dog had been so hard for him, it felt like all his energy had been sapped away.

“Destination acquired, selecting rout.” The mechanical voice chimed.

Once more, realty shifted. Instead of ending up back in the plaza, the pair ended up in the fasters if what looked like a diet meeting room. There was a podium faced by rows upon rows of desks, all empty. A man stood upon the podium, face him, and dressed in the crisp white uniform of a ship’s captain.

“Masayoshi Shido,” A voice murmured.

It was different from the ones of their persona, of the voice of the strange navigation app.

“He is the one who abandoned your frail mother before you were born. A greedy, prideful man filling to do anything for self-gain and self-pleasure. He is the root of your suffering.”

Ren watched as Goro’s hands balled into tight fists, his full expression hidden behind his mask. This was the man who cast Goro and his mom aside, setting the stage for her suicide and his suffering. He hated him already. But the hatred in Goro had to be stronger by far. It was he who’d suffered, after all.

“Hey, Goro-“

“Don’t worry, I’m not stupid enough to try and attack him now.” Goro murmured. “But, one day, I’ll tear it all down. Everything he’s amassed, I’ll steal it all away.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A bit of a person headcanon here; to was holy grail who told Goro shido was his father. It's really the only thing that makes sense, considering up until in-game Goro gives the reveal, there is literally no reason for us to think the two are related by blood. Goro would have no reason to suspect this politician with the permanent scowl is his blood father, unless someone told him so.
> 
> Other stuff; I edited Robin Hood to better contrast and compliment Arsen. Loki will still be Loki, but considering Ren and Goro are allies in this I felt a more complimentary design was more appropriate. Green and red stand on opposite end of the color wheel, and are complementary colors, meaning they each make the other stand out against it. I went with dark green because while a phantom thief and a noble rouge aren't exactly the same, they are pretty similar.


	6. Chapter 6

LittlePrince: why didn’t you tell me this sooner?

LittlePrince: I know work keeps me busy, and it’s a several hour train ride

LittlePrince: but I would have come

LittlePrince: do you not trust me?

AceofSpade: no

Aceofspade: it’s just

AceofSpade: I didn’t want you to worry

LittlePrince: I’m worried regardless

AceofSpade: I know

AceofSpade: and, I’m sorry

LittlePrince: …

LittlePrince: fine

LittlePrince: I can’t stay mad at you

LittlePrince: just

LittlePrince: please, promise me that next time you’ll tell me when something happens

AceofSpade: promise

AceofSpade: I swear it as a blood oath

LittlePrince: still

LittlePrince: if nothing else, now we’ll be in the same city again

AceofSpade: yes

AceofSpade: no more dark alley kerfluffles in mementos

AceofSpade: now I can just jog to your apartment

AceofSpade: a futon’s much better than broken concrete

LittlePrince: …

LittlePrince: I hate you

Ren chuckled. Goro knew it was harmless teasing, but it always made him so flustered in real life, it was honestly really adorable. Responding with a quick “I love you too”, he didn’t wait for a response before exiting the chatroom. He knew Goro well enough that the other wouldn’t be replying for another few hours. He was about to start browsing something on his phone when he noticed a pair of girls loosely huddled together around one of their phones’. It was a semi-recent news clip about Goro.

“Akechi Goro has once again aided the police in apprehending the suspect of a recent homicide, more and more people are now calling him the ‘second coming of the detective prince’, following in the footsteps of Naoto Shirogane.”

Ren couldn’t help but smile at that, looking away before the girls noticed him staring at the phone as well. Soon after their first ‘trip’ into the metaverse, Goro finally stopped second-guessing himself and started regularly assisting the police as a detective. He was good at it too; finding over-looked clues and spotting details others might write off. He also used shadows, non-persona users’ cognitive doubles, in his investigations. Shadows were fare more loose-lipped than their real-life counterparts; even if their confessions weren’t usable in an actual court, it gave Goro the necessary tools needed to find the evidence he needed.

2 years ago, Akechi Goro was just an orphan seeking to escape the foster system by earning a scholarship to a prestigious high school. Now, he was a well know high school detective regarded as highly as his predicesor, and treated by the media as a minor celebrity. It almost sounded like a fairy tale.

It was a small comfort that Goro had believed his side of the story when no one else had. Even his parents believed he’d assaulted that drunkard, the very people who were supposed to love and trust him to the very end. It wasn’t very surprising, he was fairly estranged from his parents despite living under the same roof, but it still stung. They had abandoned him the moment it started looking bad.

Well, with any luck, his probation guardian wouldn’t be completely horrible. It was telling how much his parents wanted to get rid of him, considering they were shipping him off to live the next year with a total stranger. As long as the man left him alone, he was willing to put up a decent amount of shittiness. As long as it didn’t start affecting Goro negatively.

When he finally arrived in Tokyo, there was no one there to greet him this time, unsurprising. He’d been given Sakura Sojiro’s home address before departing, between asking the occasional cop and his own familiarity with the city, he was able to find the Sakura house pretty quickly. It was one of many fenced-in homes in a secluded part of the city.

The nameplate matched the character’s he’d been given. Tentatively pressing the doorbell, seconds dribbled by with no response. He tried a second time. Still nothing. What the hell?

“You here for Sakura Sojiro?”

A man in some none descript blue delivery uniform walked up to him, a package under one arm. He nodded.

“Ahh, well Sakura-san is usually still at the café at this time.” The man replied, shrugging. “It’s called Leblanc, it’s a back alley café not far from here, the one with the red door.”

“…Thanks,”

The man waved his hand dismissively. “No problem, if you see him, let him know I’ve just dropped something off here.”

“Alright,”

Just like the man had said, café Leblanc was about a 15-minute walk from the Sakura residence, at most. Coffee and curry, an unusual combination of things to advertise, but it made the place unique in that regard. Pushing the door open, a bell at the top jungled to announce his presence. Leblanc was a fair-sized café with a clean bar and cozy-looking booths, only about 2 other people, sans a man behind the bar, Sakura-san most likely. Both patrons were older people; a man nursing a cup of what was most likely coffee, and a lady with a similar cup. They were sitting together, and both had their attention turn to the TV, and the news story on screen.

It was about the most recent traffic accident; a subway conductor a going berserk and crashing the train, killing several people and injuring several more. For the last 2 years, similar incidents were happening, Goro theorized it was related to the metaverse in some way- these mental shutdown and psychotic breakdown cases.

“Heh, no need to worry about getting hit by a car in this place.” The elder man said, getting up. “I’ve left the money on the table, see you later.”

With that, both he and the elder woman shuffled past him and out the door. Sakura-san muttered something about wasting 4 hours on a single cup of coffee under his breath before finally noticing him.

“Oh, right, that was today,” He mused to himself.

Living alone in an attic space what not what he’d been expecting, but it was certainly better than what could have happened. At least he had privacy, if he ever wanted to invite a certain someone over for the evening. Ren still wasn’t sure what to make of Sakura Sojiro; he acted annoyed by things, but only after the café was empty, and he treated this situation like a burden he’d been forced with, despite having agreed to it. At least the man didn’t care what he did, as long as it didn’t cause him any trouble.

LittlePrince: love you too

LittlePrince: I’ll see you tomorrow

Well, it wasn’t all bad. Shujin academy was decently close to both Goro’s school, and the police department- a shared train terminal if he recalled. And helping his boyfriend solve crime in the metaverse would stave off boredom.

AceofSpade: see you tomorrow

**Author's Note:**

> Because I have one story where Goro is suffering, I figured I might as well have one where he is actually happy and has the support he needs to survive his childhood. just be warned, it get worse before it get's better.


End file.
